Latest Dante Moore NFL Draft Intel Raises Bigger Question for Oregon

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s NFL Draft outlook remains promising despite the Ducks' uneven start, but one important question has entered his evaluation.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore | Jake Bunn / Oregon Ducks on SI

EUGENE - The No. 21 Oregon Ducks are at a crossroads in their highly-anticipated 2026 football season.

Oregon entered the season ranked No. 2, with billboards in Tokyo featuring quarterback Dante Moore as part of his Heisman Trophy campaign. Now, Moore and the Ducks are 1-1 after an upset loss to the unranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, looking to find their footing before Big Ten Conference play begins.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore | Jake Bunn

Dante Moore's NFL Draft Stock After Uneven Oregon Start

Moore elected to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft, where he was considered a potential top-five pick, and return for another season at Oregon. His choice will ultimately be judged by how this season unfolds. After the Ducks’ uneven start, quick judgments are already emerging as some assume Moore’s NFL Draft stock is plummeting.

NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay pushed back against the idea that Moore has been exposed as an overrated prospect.

Although Moore's NFL Draft outlook does come with one caveat.

Moore was widely viewed as the early favorite to become the No. 1 quarterback selected in the 2027 NFL Draft, dominating a poll from insiders and topping Texas quarterback Arch Manning. Oregon’s uneven start has made that projection less certain but the sky is not falling when it comes to Moore's NFL prediction.

“Dante looks good,” McShay said. “Dante’s still making the throws... Dante Moore is going to be a top-five pick,” McShay said. “This is not a Klubnik or a Drew Allar situation where they’re overrated.”

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore drinks water as the Oregon Ducks host the Boise State Broncos on Sept. 5, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

So while Moore's overall dominance of potentially being the first quarterback off the board in the 2027 NFL Draft may have taken a hit, his draft stock as a whole has not crumbled. Manning, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr now enter the conversation as potential QB1 in the draft.

The one caveat mentioned by McShay, is also on the minds of many Oregon fans... How will Moore handle this early-season adversity? Can he take control of the team with unwavering leadership?

“We all know with Dante, the level of poise he has and the way he carries himself and the maturity he has and the smarts that he has at that position is all highly coveted,” McShay said. “But at some point, a quarterback has to kind of take the reins of the team and become that, whether it’s vocal, whether it’s by example, whether it’s just setting the bar: This is the expectation.”

There were more than 20 scouts and multiple NFL general managers in attendance for Oregon's loss at Oklahoma State. Moore displayed arguably the worst performance in his Oregon career. Moore's finished 14-of-29 for 191 yards with two touchdowns and was upstaged by Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker.

Moore’s response to the Ducks' shocking loss in Stillwater could become an important part of his NFL evaluation. McShay wants to see the quarterback take greater ownership of the Ducks, who face Portland State on a short week and then begin Big Ten play on the road against the No. USC Trojans.

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) touches “The O” on his way to the locker room before a game against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dante Moore's NFL Position Could Have Larger Impact

Why does this matter?

How Moore bounces back has a big impact on more than just the current Ducks team.

Oregon has built a reputation as a destination where quarterbacks can develop into NFL prospects.

Denver Broncos star Bo Nix revived his career in Eugene, Cleveland Browns' Dillon Gabriel became a third-round pick and Moore jumpstarted his draft stock after struggling at UCLA.

Oregon has a new offensive coordinator in Drew Mehringer after Will Stein took a head coaching job at Kentucky, and how Moore’s season develops could also shape a larger perception surrounding Oregon’s program.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, a former Oregon quarterback, left, and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, right, take a picture with Oregon offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Will Stein during the Oregon football’s Pro Day Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Is Oregon's quarterback success tied to Stein or has is become a sustainable part of the program under Dan Lanning? If the narrative shifts towards Stein, that could influence high school recruits, transfer portal players and Oregon’s ability to bring elite quarterbacks from all around the country to Eugene.

There are five current quarterback in the NFL that started at Oregon: Nix, Gabriel, Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers, Marcus Mariota of the Washington Commanders and Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints. It's an impressive feat. It's also important to note that Nix and Gabriel were the only Ducks on that list who were coached by Stein.

The Ducks return to Autzen Stadium on Friday night with Moore at the center of their response. Moore has an opportunity to lead the Ducks’ turnaround, with implications for Oregon’s season, his NFL Draft stock and potentially the future of the premier position in Eugene.

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